Recovering the prize

I spend the majority of my beach hunting time searching for two things, modern jewelry lost at tourist beaches and old Spanish treasure coins and artifacts on Treasure Coast beaches.

When I detect a good sounding target at the beach, I always try to make sure I do not damage a potentially good find during the recovery process. 

Sunglasses are a perfect example of a good sounding target, they sound very similar to gold chains at tourist beaches. 

Every time I stop to scoop a signal that sounds like a pair of sunglasses st the beach, I secretly hope to see a gold chain in my scoop basket.

As you would expect, I take great care during the recovery process to prevent potential damage to the good sounding target. 

One of the ways I help prevent damage to potentially valuable targets is by using a scoop with a decent size basket. 

You will see many different types of scoops used at the by beach and water hunters, very much like using a metal detector,  the best scoop is the one you are most comfortable using. 

The way you use your scoop to recover targets will prevent damage to what you are hoping to recover intact. 

I always rely on my pinpointing skills to help me X the spot I believe the target to be located. 

Then I make sure I push my scoop basket behind the target at a steep angle, I would rather scoop a wider hole than risk damaging a good target.

Plus you never know, often you can detect multiple targets in the same hole.

This superb piece of 1830s Seminole Indian war gold came out of a hole I scooped on an eroded stretch of beach back in 2011, after first removing three crusty bottle caps.

When I first saw the 1836 gold coin on top of the sand under my headlamp, I mistakenly thought it was a gold colored chocolate coin and cursed my bad fortune.

I moved what I thought to be a gold colored candy wrapper with my scoop basket and put a small scuff across the face of the coin.
The military buttons, include a carved button probably done by a bored soldier, a federal navy officers button, war of 1812 button, Artillery and a decorated cuff button. 
This stuff also goes to show what is buried in the dunes at Florida beaches. 

Yes I was gutted about the scuff mark on the gold eagle, but anytime you pull a gold coin out of the sand you cannot complain, I imagine the officer who lost that gold coin at the beach was equally gutted. 

Let my mistake help you avoid doing the same thing to something you have detected at the beach.